Disruptive technology is changing how we access information and interact with the world around us.
Employee routines have changed beyond recognition in the last ten years due to the mass adoption of technology like cloud and big data, as well as the influence of trends such as flexible working and “bring your own device” (BYOD).
New technology has positioned the IT department as a vital resource within businesses.
CIOs are key executives, often responsible for the uptime and security of an entire organisation. For these individuals, one of the greatest challenges when implementing new technology is how corporate data is used, managed and shared.
Planning for the future – and sometimes even the present – is a challenge for IT experts looking to get a grip on a company’s data landscape.
In the financial sector for example, blockchain technology has emerged to better manage payments.
By nature, blockchain is open and information on transfers is accessible, so what effect does this have on data and security?
One study claims that 66% of banks will have blockchain in commercial production within four years, and eight global financial institutions have already successfully tested the technology.
The uptake of technologies such as augmented reality (AR) and Internet of Things (IoT) at the enterprise level is rising at a similarly fast rate.
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Apple CEO Tim Cook believes AR is set to become a crucial part of our daily lives, arguing it will become as important as the iPhone and even three meals a day.
The introduction of products like Google’s Project Tango and Microsoft’s HoloLens suggests many other tech giants share this same view.
Some of the potential use cases can appear revolutionary to even the most advanced IT departments.
The data and computing power required to support technology like AR has the potential to result in a significant headache for IT departments to manage the data flow, and it doesn’t look like there will be a lot of time to plan for it.
IoT is a little bit further down the line than AR in terms of uptake and development, recognised as an area of technology innovation that can bring significant value.
DHL and Cisco estimate that $1.9 trillion in economic value could be created through the use of IoT devices and asset tracking within the supply chain sector. This value is already seen in the consumer market with tools like NEST already available.
Gartner has estimated that in 2017 we might see the IoT needle tip and create a surge in IoT adoption, with many already resourcing and building the support structures to cope with an influx of these devices.
The sheer volume of emerging and disruptive technology is likely to produce some challenges for even the most resilient and well prepared IT department.
For many new technologies, it is not yet even clear how the business community will leverage and use them, making any IT planning challenging to say the least.
Many new or disruptive technologies are built and deployed in the cloud, meaning they can’t be secured within traditional on-premises architectures.
Their management, however, if approached the right way, doesn’t have to be overcomplicated.
The key is ensuring scalability and ease of use. In such a fast-flowing landscape, requirements and use cases are likely to change fast.
As a result, if you’re evaluating potential tools, my advice would be to favour something that offers a pay-as-you-go model to ensure IT remains scalable and flexible.
Of course, it’s also important to speak with the IoT providers about their security protocols if they are using the cloud or on-premises deployments, to ensure you’re able to put the appropriate protections in place.
Historically, many have been skittish about storing and managing their data in the cloud, pointing to issues around security, reliability, accessibility, and compliance.
However, these environments have matured with user and industry demands for more security features.
In addition to considering the deployment model that makes the most sense for your organisation (if that’s an option provided with blockchain, IoT, or AR products), it’s also important to consider the flow of data.
>See also: How UK banks can fight off disruptors in the next decade
Managed file transfer technologies can offer extensive security functionality, allowing for rapid deployments as demand changes, compliance standards are introduced or modified, or additional calls for transparency are required.
Disruptive technology trends are naturally going to shake things up; both on business operations and data management within IT departments.
The business benefits of these tools, however, must be taken into full consideration by IT leaders who may be skeptical of their use due to data challenges.
Ultimately, these trends must be seen as helpful, and the challenges overcome.
IT departments are likely to see more changes than any in the enterprise in the next few years, making preparation and monitoring of these trends even more important than ever.
Sourced by Peter Merkulov, vice president of product strategy and technology alliances at GlobalSCAPE
